Bakai

Hi Piers, thank you for specifying the boiled linseed oil. And yes, as the Kabuto is rather not a flashy example and more demure, I will go with a Maedate that’s not too elaborate…

Hi Uwe, Hi Piers, thank you for your replies and the insights! Okay, happy to hear that I was not too far off with my initial assessment. I will reattach the shikoro as you suggested. I would imagine, that getting it relaced will require some more extensive restoration first. The degraded odoshi is all that keeps the urushi in place an glancing at it a bit seriously is enough to make it pop off at this point. And yes, I will have to get rid of the bad rust. Indeed I read the post about linseed oil/white spirit mixture here in the forum some time ago, thank you for reminding me. Do you have an idea, what kind of maedate would fit this kabuto? Saad

Hello, I am an avid reader of this forum, and I hope I can get some insight about the following zunari kabuto and menpo. Someone gifted me these recently and I would like to know more about it. The only information I have from the person giving me this, is that it was sold as a momoyama period Kabuto. I personally have some basic knowledge about samurai armor, so I think I could figure out some things at least. The Kebiki Shikoro seems to fit to the tare on the menpo, so i guess it could be an indicator that this is a matching set, or am I on the wrong path here? The lacquer seems to have completely flaked off of the hachi an the menpo. I think they may have been lacquered black originally, as I can see some leftovers of black urushi between tare and the mask itself. The maedate tsunamoto seems to be a replacement, as it does not sit flush to the hachi and there are two holes situated over it, where I think the original might have been. The steel or iron plates of the kabuto and menpo are rather thin, just under 1 mm where I can measure. The hachi itself weighs about 900 grams (just under 2 pounds). There is no signature. I would highly appreciate informations about this item. Is it a genuine piece of the momoyama period, a decorative piece or a fake? How did it look originally? What kind of maedate would fit? Thank you very much in advance! Saad